Tire heating system, and a method of controlling a tire heating system

Abstract

A tire heating system for a vehicle, the heating system comprising an-electric power system configured to assume at-energy generating mode, an energy storage system electrically connected to the electric power system, a tire heating arrangement electrically connected to the electric power system and configured to heat tire of a wheel of the vehicle by electric power received from the electric power system, and control unit connected to the electric power system and to the energy storage system, the control unit comprising control circuitry configured to determine energy power absorption capability of the energy storage system; compare the energy power absorption capability with the electric power generated by the electric power system when electric power system assumes the energy generating mode; and control the electric power system to feed electric power to tire heating arrangement when the electric power generated in energy generating mode exceeds energy power absorption capability.

1 . A tire heating system for a vehicle, the tire heating system comprising:
 an electric power system, the electric power system being configured to assume an energy generating mode in which at least one of an electric traction motor and a fuel cell stack of a fuel cell arrangement of the electric power system generates electric power;   an energy storage system electrically connected to the electric power system;   a tire heating arrangement electrically connected to the electric power system, the tire heating arrangement being configured to heat a tire of a wheel of the vehicle by electric power received from the electric power system; and   a control unit connected to the electric power system and to the energy storage system, the control unit comprising control circuitry configured to:
 determine an energy power absorption capability of the energy storage system; 
 compare the energy power absorption capability with the electric power generated by the electric power system when the electric power system assumes the energy generating mode; and 
 control the electric power system to feed electric power to the heating arrangement when the electric power generated in the energy generating mode exceeds the energy power absorption capability. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tire heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the electric traction motor is configured to apply a torque on the wheel of the vehicle during propulsion and to generate electric power during braking, the electric power system being configured to assume the energy generating mode when the electric traction motor generates electric power during braking. 
     
     
         3 . The tire heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the electric traction motor is an electric wheel hub motor connectable to a single wheel of the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The tire heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell arrangement is electrically connected to the energy storage system. 
     
     
         6 . The tire heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the tire heating arrangement comprises a heat radiator connectable to a wheelhouse for the wheel. 
     
     
         7 . The tire heating system of  claim 6 , wherein the heat radiator is an infrared heat radiator. 
     
     
         8 . The tire heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the heating arrangement comprises an electrically conductive heating element integrated in the tire, the electrically conductive heating element comprising an electric resistive material. 
     
     
         9 . The tire heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the tire heating system further comprises a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature level of tire, the temperature sensor being connected to the control unit. 
     
     
         10 . The tire heating system of  claim 9 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 receive a signal indicative of an expected vehicle speed for the vehicle at an upcoming point in time,   estimate a temperature level of the tire when operating the vehicle at a vehicle speed higher than the expected vehicle speed, and   control the electric power system to feed electric power to the tire heating arrangement until a signal indicative of a temperature level of the tire corresponding to the estimated temperature level for operating the vehicle at the higher speed is received from the temperature sensor.   
     
     
         11 . The tire heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the energy power absorption capability based on a current state of charge (SoC) of the energy storage system. 
     
     
         12 . The tire heating system of  claim 1 , wherein control circuitry is configured to determine the electric power absorption capability based on a current temperature level of the energy storage system. 
     
     
         13 . The tire heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit forms part of an upper layer vehicle motion control system, and wherein the electric power system comprises an electric power system control unit connected to the upper layer vehicle motion control system, the control circuitry being configured to control the electric power system by transmitting a signal to the electric power system control unit, the signal represents instructions which, when executed by the electric power system control unit, cause the electric power system to feed electric power to the tire heating arrangement when the electric power generated in the energy generating mode exceeds the energy power absorption capability. 
     
     
         14 . The tire heating system of  claim 13 , wherein the tire heating system comprises a plurality of electric power systems, each one of the plurality of electric power systems comprising a respective electric power system control unit and is connected to a respective tire heating arrangement, wherein the upper layer vehicle motion control system is configured to control each of the plurality of electric power systems independently from the other electric power systems. 
     
     
         15 . A method of controlling a tire heating system for a vehicle, the tire heating system comprising an electric power system configured to generate electric power by at least one of an electric traction motor and a fuel cell stack of a fuel cell arrangement of the electric power system, wherein the method comprises:
 determining an energy power absorption capability of an energy storage system of the vehicle;   comparing the energy power absorption capability with the electric power generated by the electric power system; and   feeding electric power to a tire heating arrangement when the electric power generated by the electric power system exceeds the energy power absorption capability.   
     
     
         16 . A vehicle, comprising the tire heating system of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A computer program comprising program code means for performing the method of  claim 15  when the program is run on a computer. 
     
     
         18 . A computer readable medium carrying a computer program comprising program means for performing the method of  claim 15  when the program means is run on a computer.